Narrative:

Takeoff procedures at dca, runway 1. I completed training last month and was dumbfounded at the amount of time the check airman spent during the second 2 hours of the 4 hour simulator session on approachs and takeoffs, runway 1 at dca. But it did give cause to closely examine the 2 engine procedures (VMC and IMC) and the engine out procedures. I have concluded that the procedures are flawed. For the 2 engine takeoff situation, why wait till 400 ft afl to initiate one's initial turn? Why not turn at 100 afl as is done on runway 13 at lga? I'll bet that a turn at 400 ft afl with a balanced field condition and a 25 KT crosswind will put the ground track uncomfortably close to P56. How about running some simulations to see where the ground track might be? Now for the engine out situation. The check airman had the simulator set up for a fairly heavy takeoff weight, which required me to initiate a turn at between 50 ft and 75 ft afl as I crossed .4 DME off of dca. Is this safe? I think not. Have these engine out procedures been flight tested in the simulator? How low can a turn be safely initiated in an engine-out situation? 100 ft AGL (el paso, runways 22 and 26), 75 ft and 50 ft. How many pilots do you really think are actually going to start a turn at .4 DME with only 50 ft of altitude? Please have a look at this whole mess.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEW MD80 CAPT THINKS THAT THE COMPANY PROCS DEPARTING RWY 1 AT DCA SHOULD BE IMPROVED.

Narrative: TKOF PROCS AT DCA, RWY 1. I COMPLETED TRAINING LAST MONTH AND WAS DUMBFOUNDED AT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE CHK AIRMAN SPENT DURING THE SECOND 2 HRS OF THE 4 HR SIMULATOR SESSION ON APCHS AND TKOFS, RWY 1 AT DCA. BUT IT DID GIVE CAUSE TO CLOSELY EXAMINE THE 2 ENG PROCS (VMC AND IMC) AND THE ENG OUT PROCS. I HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE PROCS ARE FLAWED. FOR THE 2 ENG TKOF SIT, WHY WAIT TILL 400 FT AFL TO INITIATE ONE'S INITIAL TURN? WHY NOT TURN AT 100 AFL AS IS DONE ON RWY 13 AT LGA? I'LL BET THAT A TURN AT 400 FT AFL WITH A BALANCED FIELD CONDITION AND A 25 KT XWIND WILL PUT THE GND TRACK UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO P56. HOW ABOUT RUNNING SOME SIMULATIONS TO SEE WHERE THE GND TRACK MIGHT BE? NOW FOR THE ENG OUT SIT. THE CHK AIRMAN HAD THE SIMULATOR SET UP FOR A FAIRLY HVY TKOF WT, WHICH REQUIRED ME TO INITIATE A TURN AT BTWN 50 FT AND 75 FT AFL AS I CROSSED .4 DME OFF OF DCA. IS THIS SAFE? I THINK NOT. HAVE THESE ENG OUT PROCS BEEN FLT TESTED IN THE SIMULATOR? HOW LOW CAN A TURN BE SAFELY INITIATED IN AN ENG-OUT SIT? 100 FT AGL (EL PASO, RWYS 22 AND 26), 75 FT AND 50 FT. HOW MANY PLTS DO YOU REALLY THINK ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO START A TURN AT .4 DME WITH ONLY 50 FT OF ALT? PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT THIS WHOLE MESS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.